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Gauteng health gets 160 new ambulances to help with festive season demand

Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa says the extra emergency vehicles will improve the quality of services, access and response time

13 December 2017 - 15:40
Penwell Dlamini

Gauteng health MEC Dr Gwen Ramokgopa. Picture: GALLO IMAGES

The Gauteng department of health has bought new ambulances and other emergency vehicles in time to meet the increased demand of the festive season.

Gauteng health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa told journalists in Midrand that the fleet of emergency vehicles were procured in two phases.

The first phase includes 164 ambulances‚ 10 patient transporters and four specialised vehicles for physically challenged patients.

The second phase includes 64 new ambulances and 20 primary response vehicles all completed by the end of the fourth quarter of the 2016-17 financial year.

"This brings the total number of operational ambulances to 862 in the province. All vehicles are added to the Gauteng health service platform and bring the total fleet to 1‚268 vehicles, which will ensure we improve quality‚ access and response time to our services‚" Ramokgopa said.

She added that the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) budget was increased 6% from R1.1bn in the 2016-17 financial year to R1.2bn in the 2017-18 financial year.